The Carnival
by akamai
Summary: Two very different trips to the carnival. A short story based around Robin and Starfire.


I don't own TT. This is an R/S story. Enjoy.

**The Carnival**

Jump city was a busy place with all different kinds of activities happening there. In the winter it was the ice show, where a variety of people from all over the city came to create their own ice masterpieces, and strived for first place. In the fall the citizens of Jump city helped one another rake leaves on their property, and the raking of leaves was more described as play than as working. In the spring the citizens quietly watched the layer of snow covering the city dissolve, and gladly welcomed warm air.

But the most awaited part of Jump City's year was the carnival which took place in the summer. Everyone enjoyed the carnival, even if some didn't want to admit it the shinning eyes and the small grins from them proved that they did.

However, no one was as excited for the carnival more than Jump City's local heroes, the Teen Titans. They _always_ were ready for the carnival...

* * *

Starfire rolled over on her side on her round bed to face her new alarm clock. Her friends told her that it was supposed to ring and after a few minutes, which seemed like a long while, it didn't. A frown appeared on her face as she still stared at the clock. She remembered her best friend telling her about how the odd clock worked just the day before. 

_"It's supposed to wake you up," her friend said as she examined it. They were located in the mall looking for items for Starfire's room. She was new to Earth and only a part of the team for a month, so many of the things that were bought had to be explained to her. A confused expression appeared on Starfire's face and Robin explained further. "You get up from bed when it rings."_

And now, her clock had not rung. _"He told me to get up when it rings,"_ she thought. _"Shall I just get up...now?"_ She wasn't sure if she were to get up or not. She knew Robin wouldn't lie to her about the clock, but the whole concept was confusing.

Also, he said the Titans would visit the "carnival" that day. Starfire began to worry. _"What if I am late to the 'carnival'? What if this clock does not ri--?"_

A long blare erupted from the clock, interrupting her thoughts. Starfire jumped up and away in fright and looked at the clock, a fearful look in her eye. After a moment of loud ringing, she put her hand on the top, and pressed down as Robin told her too. The sound stopped, and the room was quiet again.

_"I now have to 'get up',"_ Starfire thought. She giggled at her previous worries of clock not ringing. Robin was right! It did ring!

She went to open the closet and took out her uniform she wore.

As Starfire dressed, she wondered about the carnival and what it would be like. It was probably a very fun earth tradition.

She remembered Beast Boy calling it, "awesome" and Cyborg calling it "the best". Robin said this carnival was "very cool" and Raven said it was "no big deal", but Beast Boy assured Starfire that Raven really thought it was fun, she just didn't want to admit it. As a matter of fact, she could already hear Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven talking about it in the hallway outside her door.

"What's the point of going to the carnival?" Raven asked as the two boys shouted at which ride was better; the "Twirl to Hurl" or the "Barfing Bowl". "We go there every year. Everything's the same, nothing changes."

"We told you it's awesome!" Beast Boy cried. "Why do you bother going every year if you don't like it so much?"

"Yeah, and it's really fun! It's nice to take a break from fighting crime and hang out at the carnival all day." Starfire heard Cyborg add. Their voices were getting quieter as they walked down the hall which was farther away from Starfire's room, but she could tell he was also whispering by this point.

"Besides, it's Starfire's first time there, we want to make the best of it."

"Yeah, so no whining, Raven," Beast Boy said as he ran the rest of the way down the hallway, expecting to be chased because of his last remark. "It's for Starfire."

Starfire exited her room as if on cue when her name was spoken. She gave a small smile to her friends, and acted as if she did not hear one word they said. She already knew they were taking her to the carnival. Robin _did_ tell her! She even remembered his exact words as he told her the news.

_"So um...on Friday, we're taking you to something called the carnival. I know you've heard about it from Cyborg and Beast Boy. It's supposed to be a secret, but well...I thought it was fair to tell you. You have the right to know where you're going if we take you someplace. So just act surprised when we take you..."_

Starfire snapped back to reality. "Hello, friends," Starfire told Cyborg and Raven since Beast Boy was already in the common room, probably stuffing himself with tofu.

"Er..hey Star," Cyborg said with a wave. He was terrible at hiding the secret from Starfire, that's for sure.

"Morning Starfire," Raven said with an expressionless face.

Starfire beamed at her greeting. "Have you happened to see Robin? I am sure he is not asleep, because Robin gets up early. I am also sure he is not here, because he is not with you both now..."

"He's training," Raven told her, while turning to go to the kitchen to get some tea. And before Starfire could ask where, she added, "He's on the roof."

Without another word, Starfire flew to the roof to see her best friend. It was her favorite part of the day, seeing Robin every morning. He was kind to her and explained everything about earth to her whenever she needed help even if it was six in the morning.

After getting to the roof, at once she scanned it looking for Robin. He was near the far right, punching into thin air.

"Robin!"

He turned and gave a marvelous grin to Starfire. "Morning Starfire. Did your alarm clock work?"

Starfire nodded. She told him about her whole experience. "It did not go off at first, so I was not sure if I should have 'gotten up' or not. I was awake, and I waited for it to ring.

It did and it was what you call...'extremely loud'."

"Yeah, that's how it is." He sighed and got a strange look on his face. "Wait a minute, did you say you laid there and waited for the alarm to ring?"

Starfire nodded once again, but slowly this time.

Robin gave a small laugh. "You don't have to wait for it to ring to get out of bed, Starfire. You must have misunderstood what I said."

Starfire blushed at Robin laughing at her. _'He must think I am dumb...'_

"That's ok though," Robin said as if he read her mind. "You didn't understand."

Starfire felt better and changed the subject. "Robin, I have heard our friends talk of the 'carnival'."

"Really?"

"Yes!" Starfire giggled at knowing all about the secret.

"Did they know you heard them?"

"I do not think so. They were speaking rather loud though."

"Cyborg and Beast Boy?"

"Yes."

"Well...as long as you look surprised when we go it'll be fine. Maybe you can tell them you knew all about it after we come home."

"Robin, when are we going to leave for the carnival?"

"Just after breakfast. Come on, we better get downstairs..."

Robin opened the door, back to the lower part of the tower with Starfire trailing behind.

Breakfast seemed to take forever, because Cyborg and Beast Boy feuded over the meal just about the whole time until Raven told them to shut up. Finally, Cyborg and Beast Boy (who was already eating long enough, since he got to the kitchen first) finished eating and they got ready to go.

"So um..." Cyborg started. "Let's hang out today."

"Sounds like a good idea," Robin said.

"Where should we go?" Beast Boy asked, as if reading off of a script."

"Let's go to the park," Raven suggested.

"I know! Let's go to the carnival!" Beast Boy shouted, in his script reading voice again.

They now all looked at Starfire.

She let out a gasp. "The 'carnival'? That is what you are always saying is fun?"

Cyborg and Beast Boy nodded.

"Oh, that is wondrous!" Starfire cried, while floating up into the air. Cyborg and Beast Boy gave thumbs up to each other, thinking that they surprised Starfire. Robin thought Starfire was good at acting surprised, but she really was excited, so it made her acting better.

"Let us go now!" Starfire added while floating back to the ground.

"We were just about to do that!" Beast Boy said, without his script reading voice this time. "Let's go!"

Raven, Cyborg, and Beast Boy all filed out to the T-Car and Robin and Starfire were the last ones to leave.

"Nice acting," Robin told Starfire.

"Thank you. I am glad that you told me about the carnival."

Robin walked out first, and Starfire watched him walk away. Robin truly was a good friend.

* * *

The hot air was scorching, but that didn't keep the Titans from having any fun. Cyborg and Beast Boy went on just about every ride, except for the kiddy rides because they refused to ride the kiddy rides.

"Let's go on the "Twirl to Hurl again!" Cyborg shouted to Beast Boy.

"Yeah! And them we can go on the "Barfing Bowl" for the seventh time!"

They raced each other to the ride.

Raven brought a book to read, but played a few games in the booths when she wasn't reading. She didn't want to go on any rides with Cyborg and Beast Boy.

Robin showed Starfire some of his favorite rides and won her two teddy bears, one of which she kept. (Starfire insisted that she didn't need two, and gave the other bear to Raven.)

Robin soon joined Cyborg and Beast Boy on the fast rides and Starfire stayed around Raven, who was now reading again.

"Having fun?" Raven asked, while looking up from her book.

"Yes, it is most enjoyable!" Starfire said while giving a small smile. The day slowly passed, and Starfire tried out a few of the other rides herself and tried some of the food. She was having fun the whole time, but it felt like something was missing. It wasn't the greatest experience, but it wasn't horrendous either.

The boys returned to where Starfire and Raven were by nightfall shouting about how great the carnival was. Unintentionally, she paid the most attention to Robin. He seemed to have fun, but he did not seem to have been missing something like Starfire had. He caught her eye as if urging her to say something, but she had already forgotten that she was going to tell the other Titans that she already knew they were taking her to the carnival.

* * *

A good month had passed since Starfire's first trip to the carnival and it was late summer by the time they even considered going again. The Titans didn't have any time to go again in the previous year, because they were too busy fighting crime. Apparently, with a good majority of Jump City's citizens at the carnival, it was easier for villains to break out without being seen.

Robin and Starfire had spent more time together since her first trip to the carnival. He taught her many things about Earth, and she knew a lot now. She still had little questions but he was always eager to share his knowledge of Earth with her.

Lately, since that first trip Starfire felt a certain happiness around Robin. It was different than her enjoying him just being her closest friend. She loved learning more about him and talking to him. He was determined, and sweet, and he never let her get hurt in battle. She was now often wondering what he kept under his mask, and wished to learn more about Robin by seeing his eyes.

Starfire realized that she was starting to adore Robin. She still liked him a lot...just twice as much. She had heard this feeling was called "love" and wondered if Robin felt it as well.

Robin enjoyed Starfire twice as much as well. He was beginning to have a great attachment to her. For some moments, he felt like he could stare at her big emerald eyes forever when she talked and was eager for her to ask a question about Earth so he could spend more time with her. Every time he had a nice thought about her he muttered to himself that they were just friends.

Just very good friends.

It was near the end of summer when Robin said that the Titans could go to the carnival again. Cyborg and Beast Boy whooped and cheered and Raven just shrugged. Even she liked the idea of going again.

Starfire was filled with excitement. The carnival! She remembered the wonderful rides and the tasty food. She also remembered feeling like something was missing, but it did not matter. They were going to the carnival again!

This time the Titans left near early evening. Cyborg and Beast Boy once again went on every fast ride they could find, and Raven stayed with Robin and Starfire. The three of them had fun playing quiet games, like toss the ring, but then Raven decided to see what Cyborg and Beast Boy were up to, who were now trying to win a prize from a similar booth. This left Robin and Starfire alone.

At first they were quiet and didn't speak. It was very strange, because the two of them rarely had any awkward moments. Robin then spoke. "Um, is there anything in particular you want to do?"

There were so many choices to Starfire and at first she couldn't decide. There was this one ride she considered. It was big, and round. She watched it spin around.

Robin saw her looking at the ride. "That's a ferris wheel," he told her. "It's pretty fun. I didn't take you on it last time..." he was now mumbling. "Must of forgotten...how could I forget about the Ferris Wheel? We can see the fireworks..."

"I would like to ride on it," Starfire said. "You said it was fun?"

Robin nodded.

He led her into the line which was really short since most of the people were on the faster rides. Robin got in first, and then Starfire next on his left.

This trip to the carnival was different than the last time. Starfire didn't feel like she was missing something, and she was really happy. The ride seemed to last forever, but it was a good thing.

"Beautiful," she murmured, as she watched the fireworks. "Tell me what they are called again..."

* * *

Thanks for reading! Review and tell what you thought. :) 


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